The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-04-22

quay at Antwerp. When / left the
city they still remained there uu-
claimed.
Three years later, in one of the con.
tinental reading rooms, took up the
Figaro to divert myself with It's fats
divers and echos de Paris Between
The last mot of Nine. X and the an
nouncement of fete at Asnieres I
found line of reference to a matter
familiar enough, as it seemed, to all
bu, casual readers, viz, the division
among the heirs at law of handsome
property, that of one M. Morizot. The
name and the mysterious Importance Civ
en- it rouse my curiosity, and ! wrote at
once to Partisan crony for fuller in
formation. This was his answer:
"Have you retired from the world
that you cease TO read the news Of it ?
We are worn ont with details OF the
life and death of M. Morizot. Pardon
me, then, il recite them TO you very
briefly. The worthy man lived, en-
garcon, in one of those houses of the
rue Neuve st. Augustin already con.
demned to make way for the new
avenue, which will be marvel. Like
you, he was a traveller, and he often
remained for years an absentee, staying
away, at least, longer than the code
allows. He became to all intents and
purposes dead man, and his heirs de-
manded to share his estate, and TO
break up his collection of Jewels,
known to be of great value. Man pro-
poses The safe was opened; but it
had been rided, mon ami They found
there instead the owners body, stabbed
through and through. The good soul
had made hard fight of it. His hand
still clutched bit of a watch chain,
identified as the property Of certain
Brazilian ape of servant who never
left him. Our haute police is enor-
mously cunning. Bit by bit, the case
has been worked up, and this is what
happened The two arrived late one
night at the northern railway station,
where, to save time, at the servants
suggestion, their trunks were left to be
claimed in the morning. Thus they
installed themselves at home without
stir and unannounced. Then the man
got the better of his master, and be-
came in his turn an absentee. No one
ever dreamed of the arrival or the de-
parture, yet now it is all clear as
though we saw it in glass--the very
date proved by the fragment of a Jour
nal found in the pocket of what was
once M. Morizot. Heed the warning
and travel mo- more, but marry, and let
madame watch over you. Get thee a
wife, mon amour Et void tout -
answered my foreign correspondent
in good American fashion, by asking a
question. Upon what date, | prayed
him, was the crime committed His
reply brought me printed slip, fixing
upon the very night of my adventure,
but in the year preceding it. And on
this point all known records Of the af-
fair obstinately agree.
That Senior Ramon Quizas and the
valet, Cornelio, were one and the same
| have no manner of doubt but that
he ever could have revisited the scene
OF his double crime is inconceivable.
Whose face, then, appeared to me in
the mirror Whose hands were washed
in the running water? Who, besides
myself, camored there in the dark for
release from his own haunting fears
Did l, by some strange coincidence,
dream these things, one after another,
in quick succession Or did the -mur-
derer leave behind him in his flight
ghostly presence, to play his hideous
part ont, time and time again while
the faithful glass of Venice reflected
line for line, moment for moment /
cannot answer. But now when l walk
in the Avenue de rOpera l am grateful
even for that dullest of improvements
dull marches, sweeping, as it does, all
memory but mine of my grim lodging
from the face of the earth.-T Il.
Sullica'a IN Scribner's Magazine.